In my opinion the best fishing weather in Minneapolis is when it is freezing cold. The reason I think that is the best fishing weather is because I am an avid ice fisherman and enjoy fishing the waters of Minneapolis every winter. One good thing is no matter the weather in Minneapolis is, there is always sure to be good fishing, spring summer, fall or winter. In this article there are three lakes that are right in the city are Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet and Lake Nokomis. All three lakes have been proven to produce Pan Fish, Pike and the occasional Muskie over the years.
The first lake that I want to talk about is Lake Calhoun. Lake Calhoun is a 422 acre lake and it’s a huge tourist attraction, in the summer 1000’s of people walk, run, bike, rollerblade or segway around the lake. The lake also has a large beach and many pavilions and grills around. In 1991 the Minnesota State Record Tiger Muskie was caught in this lake. Sometimes it is hard to believe that such a busy lake right in the heart of Minneapolis is good for catching Bluegill, Crappie, Tiger Muskie, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Carp and Bullhead. When ice fishing this lake concentrate on the west and north shores if you are looking for walleye or perch.
Next we will talk about Lake Nokomis, it is a smaller lake, covering about half the area of Lake Calhoun it is only about 201 acres. This lake has been stocked with muskie and walleye over the years and still produces great numbers of walleye, just be sure to watch out for restrictions as laws and regulations change on a yearly basis. Lake Nokomis is known to have Walleye, Tiger Muskie, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseeds, Bluegills, Crappies, Yellow Perch, Black and Yellow Bullhead and the common Carp. When finding a good place to fish on Lake Nokomis find the drop offs that are near the road and try around those to start. Also, be careful of ice thickness when you are trying around the creek.
Last but not least on our list going to be Lake Harriet, the lake is between the Lake Calhoun and Lake Nokomis in size, it is a 335 acre lake. It is a deep lake going just a little deeper than Calhoun with an 87 foot maximum depth. It is possible to catch Bluegill, Crappie, Tiger Muskie, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Carp and Bullhead in Lake Harriet. As for finding a place to fish, try starting out toward the southwest of the lake by Linden Hills.
No matter what lake you choose I hope you have fun, hopefully over time you will give each of the lakes a chance. Whenever you go ice fishing make sure you bring patience and give it a try in a few different spots. The weather in Minneapolis is always good for fishing. Fishing in the winter is a whole different thing from fishing in the summer, so if you’ve never tried it make sure you do some more reading and bring the appropriate gear cause it can get really cold out on the lakes. Enjoy your winter and bring in some great dinners from the frozen lakes of Minneapolis.